© McCormack's Guides
Zip Code: 94115, 94123, 94118
Pacific
Heights, the most prestigious neighborhood in the City, is situated on hills
overlooking the Bay and Golden Gate, glorious views, and is home to corporate
execs, politicians, lawyers, computer moguls and, if there is such a group,
ordinary people with lots of money. www.mccormacks.com
Many of
the homes are large and grand and pleasingly designed in an old-fashioned way —
Victorian, Mission Revival, Chateau.
Presidio
Heights, a cluster of elegant homes, borders the Presidio, the former Army base
being transformed into a park with businesses, digital-media complexes and
homes.
Click for regional or detailed map
The Marina
District, which of the three has the most housing and businesses, is located on
flat land at base of Pacific Heights but some streets ascend into hills with
tall apartment-condo buildings. Marina took a bad hit in the 1989 quake: homes
and apartments destroyed. Repairs have been made.
A little
perspective. Pacific Heights runs about 15 blocks north to south and 15 east to
west. Purists, who abound in San Francisco, might reduce the north-south count
to eight and give a small section, called Cow Hollow, its own identity.
Presidio
Heights, sitting north of the Presidio, measures about six blocks north to
south and 12 east to west. www.mccormacks.com
Marina
counts about 14 blocks east to west and eight north to south.
In other
words, three small neighborhoods that even with ooing and aahing, you can drive
in 20-30 minutes.
Of the
three, Pacific Heights has the most views, and in a city with many beautiful
vistas, these are truly glorious, especially when the fog shoots through the
Golden Gate.
Which is
why the wealthy fell in love with the site. Also the diplomatic corps. About a
dozen consulates have set up shop in mansions of Pacific Heights (or nearby).
Presidio
Heights, no views of Bay, Marina District, some views from small hills and from
homes and tall buildings near the bay. Most of the housing, no views. www.mccormacks.com
Pacific
Heights is bordered on the east by Van Ness Avenue, a major boulevard. In the
1906 earthquake, Van Ness was the fire line. Almost everything toward the
downtown was destroyed; just about everything west (toward Pacific Hts.) was
saved. Pacific Heights recalls the
heady days of young San Francisco when fortunes were made on silver, gold and
the railroad and everything seemed possible.
In money,
Marina, middle to affluent, Presidio Heights, rich, Pacific Heights, off the
scale, homes that go for well over $10 million.
Low crime.
Many of the homes are protected by the cops and private security.
Vigilant
homeowner associations. Not the place for public housing. On many streets,
homes only, no businesses. Graffiti — perish the thought. Clean streets.
Very high level of care.
For shops,
restaurants (many top notch), boutiques, supermarkets, hospitals a short walk
or drive to Lombard, Fillmore and Union streets, Van Ness Avenue, Geary
Boulevard. www.mccormacks.com
Lombard,
the boulevard of the Marina, feeds into the Golden Gate Bridge. Many hotels and
fast food places. Store after store. Very commercial.
Three
parks in Pacific Heights, two parks in the Marina. But an abundance of parks.
The whole shore in this area and the Presidio, the former Army base, have been
placed in some kind of park. Yacht harbors, a golf course, Palace of Fine Arts,
Fisherman’s Wharf and the Maritime Museum are within a short drive or walk.
Jogging, windsurfing, boating, hiking on miles of trails.
One of the
most popular promenades and shore trails in California, from about Fisherman’s
wharf to Fort Point (under the Golden Gate Bridge). On any balmy weekend,
filled with joggers, frisbee tossers, soccer players, kite flyers, strollers,
dog walkers and picnickers.
Five
minutes to downtown, less than that to Golden Gate Bridge. Buses and cabs but
no BART.
Controlled
parking; residents get stickers. www.mccormacks.com
Several private
schools.
• One
drawback: many tourists.
• Along
the edges of Pacific Heights, a few apartment and condo buildings.
• Palace
of Fine Arts has a large auditorium and a science museum. Lovely site. The
palace was built about 1915 to celebrate the revival of the San Francisco after
the earthquake. Since then, refurbished and modernized. Hosts talks, concerts,
etc.
• Among
Pacific Heights residents, Danielle Steele and Sean Wilsey, both of whom have
written steamy novels about San Francisco society. Another resident who should
write a novel but will probably settle for non-fiction, Nancy Pelosi, speaker
of the house. Still another: Dianne Feinstein, U.S. senator. www.mccormacks.com
